The metabolism and control of fatty acids in animal cells and bacteria will be investigated. The fatty acid synthetase complex of chicken liver will be utilized in studies involving its dissociation into acyl carrier protein (ACP) and its component enzymes. The synthetase complex will be dissociated into two equal subunits by Tris- glycine. The two subbunits are then separated from each other by preparative acrylamide gel electrophoresis and assayed for pantothenatic acid and individual enzyme activities. Attempts will be made to further dissociate each of the subunits into individual protein components. The regulation of ligpid synthesis in E. Coli will be investigated. In these studis total fatty acid auxotrophs will be isolated and utilized in studies of genetic perameters of fatty acid biosynthesis. They will also be utilized in studying the effect of changes in fatty acid composition of membrane lipids on the structure and function of membrane associated enzyme activities. From these studies it is hoped that an insight will be gained into the biogenesis of biological membranes.